California State University Northridge Athletics
Friday, May 10
Northridge, Calif.
3:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
vs
UC San Diego
Photo by: Chuck Marvel
CSUN Opens Home Series Against UC San Diego on Friday
5/9/2024 3:11:00 PM | Baseball
GAME NOTES
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball (28-17, 14-7 Big West) opens its final homestand this weekend when it takes on UC San Diego. The series opens Friday at 3 p.m. before continuing on Saturday at 2 p.m. and concluding on Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Ghizal Hasan on the call.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
UC San Diego at CSUN
RHP Anthony Eyanson (5-2, 3.22 ERA) vs. RHP Thomas Bainton (3-2, 4.14 ERA)
LHP Zack Ernisse (1-3, 7.68 ERA) vs. RHP Ryan Halamicek (5-3, 5.34 ERA)
RHP Matthew Dalquist (5-2, 4.60 ERA) vs. TBA
MVP DAY
CSUN will honor its University Faculty on Saturday in its Most Valuable Professor (MVP) game against UC San Diego. Members of the CSUN Baseball team will honor their favorite professors, who have significantly impacted their academic journey, prior to first pitch. CSUN Athletics has honored MVP's during men's and women's soccer, men's and women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball and softball games this season.
LEADING OFF
After suffering a sweep last weekend in Hawai'i, CSUN sits in fourth place and three games back of the top spot in The Big West standings. UC Santa Barbara is now alone as the Big West leader at 17-4 followed by Cal Poly at 17-7 and UC Irvine at 15-6. The Matadors still have UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine on their schedule before wrapping up the regular season.
LAST TIME OUT
CSUN was knocked out of first place last weekend after falling three times at Hawai'i. The Matadors were held to just three runs in the series and managed only one extra base hit. In game one, CSUN held an early 1-0 lead, but Hawai'i took a one-run lead in the fourth and held the Matadors hitless after the third inning in a 3-2 win. On Saturday, the Bows would hand the Matadors their first shutout loss of the season in a game two 5-0 triumph. In the finale, Jarren Sanderson appeared to hit a game-tying grand slam in the sixth, but the homer was wiped away upon further review by the umpire crew while Hawai'i scored four late en route to a 9-1 win.
AT THE PLATE
Kevin Fitzer tops the Matadors in batting at a .376 clip, which also ranks fifth-best in The Big West. Fitzer is also the conference leader in OPS (1.232) and slugging percentage (.744) while he ranks second in homers (10), fifth in on-base percentage (.488) and doubles, and 10th in RBI (38) and stolen bases (11). In Big West play, Fitzer is hitting at a .robust .439 clip with four homers and 18 RBI. CSUN also boasts another league leader as Jakob Simons leads The Big West in homers (15). Simons is also second in OPS (1.143), runs scored (52), RBI (51), slugging percentage (.669) and stolen bases (16), and sixth in on-base percentage (.474).
Two others are hitting above the .300 clip this season as freshman Jarren Sanderson is batting .320 with 21 runs scored and 21 RBI while Kamau Neighbors is hitting .320 with 38 runs scored, 11 doubles and 27 RBI. Sanderson is second on the team in batting in Big West play, hitting at a .324 clip followed Shunsuke Sakaino at .304.
ON THE MOUND
Friday starter Thomas Bainton takes the hill in the opener against UC San Diego. Bainton holds a 4.14 ERA with a team-high 58 strikeouts in 63 innings. Also in the rotation this weekend, freshman Ryan Halamicek has gone 5-3 with a 5.34 ERA and 28 strikeouts this season.
In the bullpen, Joshua Romero still leads the Matadors in wins with an 8-2 record to go with seven saves, 26 strikeouts and a 2.10 ERA.
ABOUT UC SAN DIEGO
The Tritons, the reigning Big West champions, are 26-20 overall with a 13-11 mark in Big West play. UCSD looks to snap a nine-game skid this weekend as the Tritons are coming off 13-inning loss to San Diego on Tuesday along with a sweep at the hands of UC Santa Barbara last weekend. The Tritons won The Big West last season after going 34-18 overall and 21-9 in conference, however, UCSD was ineligible for the postseason. Emiliano Gonzalez tops the team with a .312 batting average to go with four homers and 32 RBI. Michael Crossland is hitting .292 with three homers and 26 RBI while Nick Costello has nine homers and 26 RBI with a .253 batting average. Izaak Martinez tops the team with a 2.08 ERA and 58 strikeouts out of the bullpen.
Series History: CSUN leads UCSD 8-5 in the all-time series. The Matadors have won five of the last eight meetings and posted back-to-back series wins. Last season. CSUN dropped the series opener in La Jolla but bounced back with wins over the final two games to claim the series.
#GoMatadors
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NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Baseball (28-17, 14-7 Big West) opens its final homestand this weekend when it takes on UC San Diego. The series opens Friday at 3 p.m. before continuing on Saturday at 2 p.m. and concluding on Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Ghizal Hasan on the call.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
UC San Diego at CSUN
RHP Anthony Eyanson (5-2, 3.22 ERA) vs. RHP Thomas Bainton (3-2, 4.14 ERA)
LHP Zack Ernisse (1-3, 7.68 ERA) vs. RHP Ryan Halamicek (5-3, 5.34 ERA)
RHP Matthew Dalquist (5-2, 4.60 ERA) vs. TBA
MVP DAY
CSUN will honor its University Faculty on Saturday in its Most Valuable Professor (MVP) game against UC San Diego. Members of the CSUN Baseball team will honor their favorite professors, who have significantly impacted their academic journey, prior to first pitch. CSUN Athletics has honored MVP's during men's and women's soccer, men's and women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball and softball games this season.
LEADING OFF
After suffering a sweep last weekend in Hawai'i, CSUN sits in fourth place and three games back of the top spot in The Big West standings. UC Santa Barbara is now alone as the Big West leader at 17-4 followed by Cal Poly at 17-7 and UC Irvine at 15-6. The Matadors still have UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine on their schedule before wrapping up the regular season.
LAST TIME OUT
CSUN was knocked out of first place last weekend after falling three times at Hawai'i. The Matadors were held to just three runs in the series and managed only one extra base hit. In game one, CSUN held an early 1-0 lead, but Hawai'i took a one-run lead in the fourth and held the Matadors hitless after the third inning in a 3-2 win. On Saturday, the Bows would hand the Matadors their first shutout loss of the season in a game two 5-0 triumph. In the finale, Jarren Sanderson appeared to hit a game-tying grand slam in the sixth, but the homer was wiped away upon further review by the umpire crew while Hawai'i scored four late en route to a 9-1 win.
AT THE PLATE
Kevin Fitzer tops the Matadors in batting at a .376 clip, which also ranks fifth-best in The Big West. Fitzer is also the conference leader in OPS (1.232) and slugging percentage (.744) while he ranks second in homers (10), fifth in on-base percentage (.488) and doubles, and 10th in RBI (38) and stolen bases (11). In Big West play, Fitzer is hitting at a .robust .439 clip with four homers and 18 RBI. CSUN also boasts another league leader as Jakob Simons leads The Big West in homers (15). Simons is also second in OPS (1.143), runs scored (52), RBI (51), slugging percentage (.669) and stolen bases (16), and sixth in on-base percentage (.474).
Two others are hitting above the .300 clip this season as freshman Jarren Sanderson is batting .320 with 21 runs scored and 21 RBI while Kamau Neighbors is hitting .320 with 38 runs scored, 11 doubles and 27 RBI. Sanderson is second on the team in batting in Big West play, hitting at a .324 clip followed Shunsuke Sakaino at .304.
ON THE MOUND
Friday starter Thomas Bainton takes the hill in the opener against UC San Diego. Bainton holds a 4.14 ERA with a team-high 58 strikeouts in 63 innings. Also in the rotation this weekend, freshman Ryan Halamicek has gone 5-3 with a 5.34 ERA and 28 strikeouts this season.
In the bullpen, Joshua Romero still leads the Matadors in wins with an 8-2 record to go with seven saves, 26 strikeouts and a 2.10 ERA.
ABOUT UC SAN DIEGO
The Tritons, the reigning Big West champions, are 26-20 overall with a 13-11 mark in Big West play. UCSD looks to snap a nine-game skid this weekend as the Tritons are coming off 13-inning loss to San Diego on Tuesday along with a sweep at the hands of UC Santa Barbara last weekend. The Tritons won The Big West last season after going 34-18 overall and 21-9 in conference, however, UCSD was ineligible for the postseason. Emiliano Gonzalez tops the team with a .312 batting average to go with four homers and 32 RBI. Michael Crossland is hitting .292 with three homers and 26 RBI while Nick Costello has nine homers and 26 RBI with a .253 batting average. Izaak Martinez tops the team with a 2.08 ERA and 58 strikeouts out of the bullpen.
Series History: CSUN leads UCSD 8-5 in the all-time series. The Matadors have won five of the last eight meetings and posted back-to-back series wins. Last season. CSUN dropped the series opener in La Jolla but bounced back with wins over the final two games to claim the series.
#GoMatadors
Â
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